The 20 Best Biopics of All Time

By Anita George | August 16, 2013 | 12:55pm

MOVIES | LISTS

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Though it seems like biographical films or biopics are a recent trend with every semifamous celebrity getting an on-screen adaptation, biopics have actually been around a long
time. Both filmmakers and audiences share a fascination with recreations of the past
exploring those who came before us, whether theyre vilified or admired. Mostly, its
curiosity that drives our desire to watch these movies and answer the question, Well, why
did he/she choose to lead their life this way?
Regular fiction or fantasy movies allow us to escape our reality. Biopics allow us to face
our (sometimes common) pasts. They allow us to celebrate and rediscover each other as
human beings.
In honor of todays release of Jobs, the Steve Jobs biopic, weve put together our list of the
20 best biopics of all time.

20. Capote (2004)

In the same manner that In Cold Blood depicted the pristine scenes of Holcomb, Kansas,
and the two men who disturbed them with a quadruple murder, Seymour Hoffman offered a
precise-yet-chilling depiction of the man who helped found New Journalism. In turn, his
performance burst apart Capotes carefully crafted narrative to show just how haunted the
writer himself had become.Christina Lee

19. Brians Song (1971)

Yes, its a TV movie and yes, it was part of something called ABCs Movie of the Week.
But that doesnt mean it ended up overly sentimental and schmaltzy. In fact, this movies
notorious tear-jerker qualities, particularly among men, actually stems from the fact that the
deep friendship between the eponymous Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers is so well
portrayed. And the friendship between the two football players and teammates for the
Chicago Bears, was depicted in Brians Song in a way that shied away from setting an
overly maudlin and emotional tone, even though one of the guys meets a tragic end. James
Caan (Piccolo) and Billy Dee Williams (Sayers), like the football duo in real life, acted like
real bros: You knew that they cared about each other, but there was never a shortage of
insult humor and other jokes when they were around. Also, as its been said all over the
internet: If you dont cry during or after Billy Dee Williams/Gayle Sayers acceptance
speech scene, youre dead inside.Anita George

18. The Elephant Man (1980)

David Lynch melds history and art in the true story of severely disfigured John Merrick,
known as The Elephant Man, and his physician Frederick Treves. Abandoned by his
parents and exhibited as a side-show freak, Treves rescues Merrick from squalor, educates
him, and allows him to become the toast of London. Filmed in black and white, the film is a
triumph of cinematography as well as prosthetic makeup design. By films end, we feel
Merricks exhaustion and depression as he gently slips away, reminding us that there are
many kinds of exploitation.Joan Radell

17. The Social Network (2010)

It can be difficult to show the human side of technology, to go beyond the Nasdaq and the
cold, hard metal and glass of todays gadgets. But Finchers The Social
Network accomplishes exactly that. The movie deftly brings forth raw emotion of all kinds:
betrayal, anger, loneliness, jealousy. As the The Social Network chronicles the rise of social
media, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, it also shows us the initial fall of the founders
own social life starting with the break-up of his romantic relationship with Erica Albright
and ending with the sad end to his friendship with co-founder Eduardo Saverin. Its
interesting that, according to this movies depiction of Zuckerberg, that the founder of
Facebook, the person who essentially revolutionized human social interaction as we know
it, seemed to have his own trouble connecting with others in his personal life. And therein
lies the humanity amongst all of the algorithms. And with Sorkins trademark quick-witted
writing and Jesse Eisenbergs compelling portrayal of the iconic social media founder it is
no wonder this biopic received a total of eight Academy Award nominations and won three
of them: Best Film Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score.Anita
George

16. The Last Emperor (1987)

The last emperor of China, Puyi, spends his youth and young-adulthood in unparalleled
luxury, is imprisoned by the Red Army, and becomes a gardener under Maos regime in a
dazzling epic by director Bernardo Bertolucci. The photography is breathtaking, the subject
is exotic and intriguing, and the history lesson is subtle as this film comes full circle,
beginning and ending at the Forbidden City.Joan Radell

15. American Splendor (2003)

Harvey Pekars American Splendor books are fascinating in that Pekar believed that even
the most mundane and seemingly uncomplicated lives were worth documenting. American
Splendor does a great job of showcasing that theory by using real footage of Pekar,
fictionalized versions and even the comic version to create a cohesive whole that
documents a fascinating, albeit ordinary life.Ross Bonaime

14. Coal Miners Daughter (1980)

Sissy Spacek ages from 14 to 45 in her career-defining role as Loretta Webb Lynn, the dirtpoor kid from Butcher Holler, Kentucky, who would become the First Lady of Country
Music. This unapologetic film is almost a drama, almost a biography and almost a musical.
Highlights are vocals by Spacek as Lynn and Beverly dAngelo as Patsy Cline. Rock
legend Levon Helm and folk music icon Phyllis Boyens (in her first and only credited film
role) simply become Lorettas parents Tom and Clary Webb. Coal Miners Daughter is all
about perfection of performance, and set an incredibly high bar for musical biopics to
come.Joan Radell

13. Frida (2002)

Inventive in its portrayal of the famous painters life, Frida even manages to free itself
from the normal bounds of realism that most biopics adhere to. This is evident in how the
movie even incorporates Kahlos vivid artists imagination into the depiction of the events
of her life. Scene transitions are often still paintings come to life and Fridas daydreams,
however grandiose or fanciful they may be are played out in front of us alongside her real
experiences. Through these fantasy-riddled moments and Salma Hayeks moving
performance as Kahlo, you really get a vivid sense of who Kahlo was as a woman. Kahlos
life was the stuff of legend, but Hayeks performance shows you the very human and
flawed world behind all of that.Anita George

12. The Aviator (2004)

With Howard Hughes larger than life personality and those action-packed scenes of him
flying (and crashing) planes, its hard not to first think of the famous businessman and
aviator as a sort of superhero: a man capable of almost any feat, of withstanding any sort of
struggle. But a movie that only captures that side of Hughes life would be an incomplete
one. A hollow one. What makes The Aviator one of the greatest biopics of all time is that it
shows Hughes vulnerabilities as well, most notably of which was his battle with
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Leonardo DiCaprios portrayal of Hughes at his lowest,
during Hughes anxiety-ridden spirals is far more compelling and suspenseful than the
Beverly Hills plane crash scene itself.Anita George

11. Walk the Line (2005)

Before Joaquin Phoenix took a couple of years off from conventional acting roles for Casey
Afflecks Im Still Here, he gave one of his most memorable performances as Johnny Cash
in Walk the Line. The film tells the story of The Man in Blacks early career and his
relationship with June Carter, portrayed by Reese Witherspoon who received an Academy
Award for her performance.Wyndham Wyeth

10. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

Its the oldest film on this list and the only silent film. Released in 1928, The Passion of
Joan of Arcdepicts the trial and execution of Frances most famous martyr, Jeanne dArc,
better known as Joan of Arc: the brave woman who led the French armies to victory during
the Hundred Years War, only to have been captured and executed by her British (and some
French) enemies a year later for crimes of heresy. But it isnt just the compelling story, that
makes this movie a favorite among critics like the New York Times A.O. Scott. Its mostly
the lead actress performance that pulls you into this film. Maria Falconettis vividly
expressive portrayal of Joans suffering, fear and sadness, like Scott notes, makes you feel
like you know her even if you dont really understand (or believe) how Joan can be so sure
that God spoke to her. Even in short clips, Falconettis face is haunting and the fear Joan
feels is palpable. Its a silent film, but it doesnt need the sound of the actors voices to tell
its story, or to make you feel something as strongly as Joan feels about God.Anita
George

9. GoodFellas (1990)

Its not your typical shoot-em-up gangster flick. The charm of GoodFellas is in the details.
The carefully chosen close-ups. The nuances in each of the characters personalities. No
one in the film has a two-dimensional, flat persona. Even the scenes that involve murder
and violence, though they are grotesque and can turn your stomach, they still arent flatly
black-and-white. Because then one of the guys cracks a joke and weirdly, somehow in that
moment, you can still laugh. Suddenly, those situations are grayer now, and suddenly you
realize you still see these guys as fellow humans, even though the things they do are
monstrous. All of these small details come together, and somehow they humanize the gory
story of Henry Hill and his fellow made men. Its a biopic that immerses you into Hills life
and makes it hard for you to distance yourself from him and his friends. Its special because
this biopic chose to make the protagonist and the villain the same guy and, through very
small details, kind of convinces you to like him anyway.Anita George

8. La Vie en Rose (2007)

An icon in France, the story of singer dith Piaf, could have been filmed as just another
stereotypical musician biopic or episode of Vh1s Behind the Music. In fact, her life had all
the hallmarks of the troubled, yet incredibly talented musicians that are often the subjects of
such movies and documentaries. But it was actress Marion Cotillards stunningly moving
performance as Piaf that really allowed La Vie en Rose to stand out among other musician
biopics. Cotillards Oscar-winning performance really captured that charismatic soulfulness
that Piaf had as a performer.Anita George

7. The Kings Speech (2010)

Its a biopic that covers a very specific part of King George VIs life: the time period in
which he learns to cope with a speech impediment in order to ultimately lead his country
through World War II, and does so with the help of a speech therapist named Lionel Logue.
While a masterful performance by Colin Firth and the films compelling writing
undoubtedly led to The Kings Speech winning three Oscars, theres something else that
makes this such an amazing film to watch, and thats the story itself. Its a different kind of
Kings tale. Instead of a just a movie about a king gloriously leading his countrymen to
victory, its about a would-be king struggling to find his voice and the courage within
himself to lead his people through one of the toughest times theyve ever had to face. King
George VIs story is about the inner turmoil and struggle it took to reach a place of victory,
not the victory itself; which makes the story a bit more relatable, which in turn makes it
even more meaningful.Anita George

6. Malcolm X (1992)

Ya been took! Ya been hoodwinked! Bamboozled! Led astray! Run amok! When director
Spike Lee introduced us to Detroit Red, he reminded the world of a specific time in
American history more readily forgotten by some than others. Based on The Autobiography
of Malcolm X, Lee (in typical fashion, with a brilliant score and with the grand influence of
French cinema throughout) brought us the story of a troubled boy who could have easily
become any unknown black man in the 60swho indeed, almost did until he committed
his life to Allah and The Nation of Islam. Denzel Washington perfectly, eerily embodied
the role of the young Detroit Red who would become Malcolm X. As a team, Lee and
Washington (along with Angela Bassett as Betty Shabazz) created the perfect biopic, where
all that we assumed about an icon was troubled or complicated by this new translation of
his life.Shannon Houston

5. My Left Foot (1989)

Its the story of Christy Brown, an Irish painter and writer who was born with severe
cerebral palsy. The title of the film comes from the title of Browns autobiography on
which the movie is based and refers to the only part of Browns body he was able to
completely control even with cerebral palsy. Daniel Day Lewis and Brenda Frickers
brilliantly artful performances as the unforgettable Christy Brown and Browns mother,
respectively, are no doubt, the main reasons you should watch this movie. In fact, the
interactions between Brown and his mother in the movie are some of the best, most moving
scenes My Left Foot has to offer.Anita George

4. Amadeus

The fine line between genius and insanity is the subject of this big-budget costume drama
that proved just how hip classical musicians can be. Milos Foreman tickles the vulgar
underbelly of the sublime and the result is Thomas Hulces braying, chittering laugh as the
wild-child prodigy, Wolfgang Mozart. F. Murray Abrahams portrayal of Antonio Salieris
descent into madness fueled by jealousy is the perfect foil. Lust, envy, greedall of the
deadly sins are here, set to some of the greatest music ever written. Joan Radell

3. Gandhi (1982)

Richard Attenboroughs Gandhi is often described as a huge, sweeping epic about the man
that lead India to its independence from Great Britain in 1947. And it is. A little over three
hours long, the film chronicles not Gandhis entire life, but his journey towards nonviolence as a form of protest which in turn allows him to gain equal rights for Indians in
South Africa and the eventual independence of India from Britain. Everything about this
film works wonderfully together: theres an all-star cast (Ben Kingsley, Daniel Day-Lewis,
Candace Bergen and Martin Sheen, to name a few), the film itself is beautifully shot and
makes good use of Indias natural beauty and the films music has the notable distinction of
being composed by none other than Ravi Shankar. And so it should come as no surprise
that in the year following its release, that Gandhi won eight Oscars, including Best Picture,
Best Writing and Best Actor in a Leading Role.Anita George

2. Raging Bull

The best film of the 1980s contains one of the all-time-great feats of directing and one of
the all-time-great feats of screen acting. The status that Martin Scorseses Raging Bull has
achieved in the years since its release is completely earned. Watching it is a fully felt
experience. Over the years, much has been made of the weight Robert De Niro gained
while filming Raging Bull to authentically capture the physical transformation of boxer
Jake LaMotta. While its a great symbol of his commitment, the pounds dont begin to
explain the depths of the character portrait he and Martin Scorsese created. The film looks
unforgivingly at a fragile, insecure man who communicates his need for love with jealousy,
anger and violence. Scorseses shots convey the overly suspicious workings of LaMottas
head, then back out to coldly observe the horrific violence that ensues. Then there are the
boxing scenes. Scorsese deserves endless praise for finding such lively, inventive ways to
capture the experience inside the ring. But whats really amazing is that he goes beyond a
great sports scene. Each fight serves as a window into LaMottas soul. The camera
movement, the quick edits, the sudden shifts in speed all reflect his mental state, his need to
damage himself or cause damage to others. Such expressive, visceral filmmaking has rarely
been equaled.Michael Burgin

1. Schindlers List (1993)

Itd be hard to find a more inspiring, moving story to tell than that of Oskar Schindler. And
before seeing this film, I assumed that Steven Spielberg was exactly the wrong person to
tell it. But all thanks be to the movie gods that I wasnt a studio head in the 90s, because
Spielberg produced what was simply one of the most ambitious, wise, and moving motion
pictures of our lifetime. The acting is superba career-making role for big lumbering Liam
Neeson, so carefree and cocky at the beginning, so and concerned and determined in the
middle, and so noble and humble at the end of the film. Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley
are perfect in supporting roles. A host of unknowns give everything in their one moment on
the screen. John Williamss haunting score and Janusz Kaminskis breathtaking black-andwhite cinematography sparkle. But the scriptoh, Steven Zaillians majestic script is the
biggest star. He manages to take a Holocaust tale and turn it into a story of triumph, the
story of how much one man can do, and the regret well each someday have that we didnt
do much, much more. Oskars I could have gotten more out speech is almost too much to
bear.Michael Dunaway